Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on Friday questioned the way some rappers talk about women in songs, saying the lyrics are similar to the derogatory language used by embattled radio host Don Imus.

They are “degrading their sisters. That doesn’t inspire me,” Obama said of some hip-hop artists when a man in a crowd of about 1,000 questioned him. The Illinois senator was responding to a question of what inspired him, and said God and civil rights activists.

Earlier this week, Obama criticized Imus, who was fired Thursday for labeling the Rutgers women’s basketball team “nappy-headed hos.”

“I do think we’ve seen a coarsening of the culture,” Obama said in an interview with The Associated Press after the town hall meeting. As a constitutional lawyer, Obama said he was a free speech advocate.

“But just because you can say something doesn’t mean you should say something,” he said. “And I think that we have not talked enough about the harmful images and messages that are sent.”

He said as a parent it was a constant struggle to reinforce his two daughters’ sense of self-esteem.

“I think that all of us have become a little complicit in this kind of relaxed attitude toward some pretty offensive things,” Obama said. “And I hope this prompts some self-reflection on the part of all of us.”

“Ho” came out in 2000. Then there’s that other Ludacris classic, “Move Bitch.” Here’s the chorus and first verse of that:

[whistling]

[Chorus 2x: Ludacris]

Move bitch, get out the way
Get out the way bitch get out the way
Move bitch, get out the way
Get out the way bitch, get out the way

[Ludacris]
OH NO! The fight’s out
I’ma ’bout to punch yo…lights out
Get the fuck back, guard ya grill
There’s somethin’ wrong, we can’t stay still
I’ve been drankin’ and bustin’ two
and I been thankin’ of bustin’ you
Upside ya motherfucker forehead
And if your friends jump in, “Ohhh gurrlll”, they’ll be mo’ dead
Causin’ confusion, Disturbin Tha Peace
Since not into lution’, we run in the streets
So bye-bye to all you groupies and golddiggers
Is there a bumper on your ass? NO NIGGA!
I’m doin’ a hundred on the highway
So if you do the speed limit, get the fuck outta my way
I’m D.U.I., hardly ever caught sober
and you about to get ran the fuck over

[Chorus]

That piece of garbage came out in 2001, Sen. Obama. Doesn’t look like it bothered you five years later: